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16 States with Great Alternative Routes to Teaching
TheApple
1. Georgia
The route to becoming a teacher in Georgia is full of options, especially for non-traditional routes and career changers. These alternative routes can allow you to become a certified teacher while working full-time in the classroom; you can be hired without already completing the qualifications necessary. In this process, those seeking certification must pass the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE).
New teachers (or new to Georgia) can enroll in a Georgia-approved certification program at a university in the state. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission decides what programs meet requirements. There are many online programs that can meet their standards, but check before enrolling. If you’re switching to teaching as a second career, Georgia offers a Teacher Alternative Preparation Program (GATAPP), which allows future educators to take an alternative certification program and teach while completing certification requirements. An even more unique option to Georgia is the Test Based Option, which allows those training to be teachers with focused college majors to combine Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators exams with a one year, on-the-job training program. All of the routes above are required to pass the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators test.
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trinadrummond
8 months ago
4 comments
I have applied for the altrnative certification program in houston and got accepted. Has anyone completed this program through them?
srosengarden
8 months ago
2 comments
Anyone have information in Illinois?
IndianaLibrarian
9 months ago
2 comments
I'd like to disagree with the comment made by "hotteacher1976" (rather a questionable sign-in name for a teacher?). Not all the schools in the state of Indiana are in need of a "serious re-working." It is mainly the schools in the larger cities with a high rate of poor people and, frankly, large, poor, black communities. This includes Indianapolis (with a graduation rate of less than 20 percent and middle schools with juvenile detention workers!), South Bend, Gary, Hammond, and Michigan City (whose two high schools were unaccredited for a time). Fortunately, most of these school systems are surrounded by smaller school systems that are doing well and have high graduation rates regardless of race or economics. Also of note, the city of Indianapolis rates high on the lists of liveable U.S. cities. My husband is a middle/high school special education teacher and I'm a professional public librarian. We lived in Indy but he had to teach in the Carmel school system, for safety and sanity sake. It was bad enough for me to work in one of the urban public libraries where I dealt with the kids and their disinterested parents. Safety was a constant issue--even at the public library.
Vanes63
10 months ago
2 comments
One alternative program not mentioned here is called Project Pipeline and it helps those seeking alternative certification in certain parts of California. I will be started this program at the end of this week and as far as I can tell it's pretty nifty.
You still have to pass state exams, have a bachelors degree and do just about everything teachers for traditional routes (TB test, fingerprinting) but you don't have to go back for a 2nd bachelors.
ronfurg
10 months ago
6 comments
I take exception to the comment by pwebbmartin. A quick review of the average salaries for Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, and Mississippi will show only a small difference with Mississippi actually being above the national average. One must also take into consideration other positive factors for those states such as quality of life, cost of living, etc., which may make them far more attractive than an evaluation based solely on salary.
pwebbmartin
about 1 year ago
2 comments
This would be a GREAT article and resource if the states and school systems were matched with their salaries. Sadly, Louisana, Kentucky, Indiana, Missippissi are the lowest paying states for all employment positions.
tanderson
about 1 year ago
2 comments
Massachusetts is similar. You need a Bachelor's degree in something from somewhere and
you must pass two tests, a literacy test and a test in the field in which you intend to teach. Also,
after five years of teaching, you must get a Master's degree in something or you are OUT.
Tim Anderson
hotteacher1976
about 1 year ago
372 comments
Anyone notice that these programs are in states with school systems in need of serious re-working?
susanwachs
about 1 year ago
6 comments
Broward County, Florida also has two programs for those who want to transition into teaching. They are the STAR and Promise programs. These programs can be completed in about a year, and information about the progams can be obtained on the instructional staffing website.
rdeming
about 1 year ago
2 comments
I feel that this allows those with the capabilities to teach to do so. this is great for those that are in tune with children.